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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24932395">Hold Me Closer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slothbeans/pseuds/Slothbeans'>Slothbeans</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Spideychelle Week 2020 [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Annoyed Michelle Jones, Camping, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, First Kiss, Harley Keener &amp; Peter Parker Friendship, Michelle Jones Needs a Hug, Minor Betty Brant/Ned Leeds, Minor Ned Leeds/Peter Parker, Nervousness, Out of Character Michelle Jones, Peter Parker has ADHD, Peter Parker is a Mess, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Peter Parker, Sharing Body Heat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:34:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,667</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24932395</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slothbeans/pseuds/Slothbeans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"It was just an accident, MJ. He didn't mean it," Betty chimes in.</p><p>"Yeah. At least no one was hurt," Ned replies.</p><p>Michelle doesn't try to argue with the crowd since they're already on Peter's side. She doesn't even know how to feel anymore. Not when he keeps causing her so much trouble. All she knows is that she made a mistake coming out here. She should have spent her week at the library instead.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Betty Brant/Ned Leeds, Michelle Jones &amp; Ned Leeds &amp; Peter Parker, Michelle Jones &amp; Peter Parker, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Spideychelle Week 2020 [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1797307</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Spideychelle Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hold Me Closer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Please, Peter. It won't be the same without you."</p><p>"I have the Internship this weekend."</p><p>"You have internship every weekend."</p><p>"No, but like I really do this weekend. I'm supposed to be staying at the Compound and working on some repairs to my suit. The reaction time's been off recently," Peter argues.</p><p>"I'm sure the great Tony Stark can fix it all by himself. Come on. You need some time off."</p><p>"I don't know," Peter mutters. It does sound like a fun idea - camping with all his friends as a special way to celebrate the end of their senior year. But it also feels wrong to take a whole week off from his commitments so suddenly. He can't just ditch Mr. Stark because he wants to spend time with his friends.</p><p>"May thinks it's a great idea."</p><p>"You told May? What betrayal. I feel betrayed."</p><p>The line is quiet as both boys think about their next arguments. Ned has a whole list planned. He spent the entire night before trying to think of ways to convince his best friend to come along. Even offering to bribe him with campfire roasted snacks. He never had a choice.</p><p>But he can't be too mad. Most of Ned's points are valid. He really could use a break. Between studying for upcoming exams, training hand to hand combat with Black Widow, and patrolling the city, he's had very little time to himself. A break with his friends sounds exactly what he needs to recharge.</p><p>"Okay, Ned. Just skip to your final argument."</p><p>Ned laughs. Always to the point. "Alright. So imagine we're all camping - enjoying the s'mores that I bought especially for you, and a bear hops out of the woods! He's all GRRR!! And ARGHHH! We have nowhere to go; we're running around screaming like chickens with our heads cut off."</p><p>"And then?"</p><p>"That's it. The bear eats us. But Spider-Man could have prevented it."</p><p>Peter shakes his head. He shouldn't have expected much from his best friend. They are on the decathlon team. Debate was never his strong suit.</p><p>"Alright, Ned. You got me. I'll see you next weekend."</p><p>"See you there. And don't forget the bug spray. You gotta save some bugs for us. After the spider incident it would be kind of unfair if you got even more superpowers and I was still just the boy in the chair."</p><p>"Do you want to catch Malaria? Because that's how you catch Malaria Ned."</p><p>-</p><p>It's a long drive out, but Peter finds the campground easily enough with the help of his phone. The entire back seat is loaded with camping goods, but his space was very limited to begin with. His tiny car was cheap, it functions enough to get around the city just fine. He's just lucky that Ned is bringing the larger supplies - the tent, cooler full of food, and air mattresses.</p><p>Peter pays his entry fee to enter the park and slowly makes his way down the secluded path to their designated area. Thankful for how hard Ned worked to put the trip together, he gathers his belongings in his arms and walks the rest of the way. The noises of the forest make beautiful music in his ears.</p><p>The campsite is already mostly set up. Peter seems to be the last to arrive. There's a large fire pit in the middle of the camp that will need to be lit soon. Surrounding the logs in the middle, there's four tents already ready to go. Harley - a temporary exchange student through the Stark Internship - gives Peter an awkward wave with his arms full of wood for the campfire. Peter flashes him a smile back.</p><p>Peter drops his stuff by his tent just as Ned captures him in a bear hug. "Wow. I wasn't sure if you'd actually come. It's good to see you. This will be good for both of us."</p><p>"Ned," a voice shouts behind them. He's pretty sure it's Ned's friend Betty. Ex girlfriend Betty.</p><p>"Oh. That reminds me," he says pulling back from the hug. "I need you to switch tents with Betty's friend."</p><p>"Wait. What?" Peter asks with narrowed eyes.</p><p>"Betty and I thought it would be nice to sleep in the same tent," Ned says, raising his eyebrows, clearly hinting at something more that might be going on.</p><p>Peter can barely believe it. Ned begged him to come out here so that they could hang out as buddies, like old times. And now he's being ditched so that his best friend can get laid?</p><p>"You're ditching me for a girl? You guys aren't even dating anymore."</p><p>"I know, but I still really like her Peter. You know that. And even if we don't get back together, maybe we can spend one final glorious weekend together before college. Our bodies ablaze during the cold nights."</p><p>Peter gags. Whether it's real or fake he isn't sure.</p><p>"I would. I really would, but you know I can only sleep in our tent. It has enough two rooms so we can keep some space in between us. You know I still thrash around at night sometimes. I wouldn't want to hurt anyone."</p><p>"Alright," Ned thinks. "What if I go in Betty's tent? And Betty's tent mate joins you. That way there's enough room in between you two that it won't matter if you thrash."</p><p>"And you're sure she would agree to that?"</p><p>"She already agreed to you sleeping in her tent. What's the difference?"</p><p>Ned barely has to remind him of their bro code. As soon as Ned breaks out his puppy-dog eyes, Peter knows there's no point fighting. The two friends will still have all day to hang out. He'll have to settle with sharing the evenings with Betty.</p><p>-</p><p>He ends up staying with Michelle Jones. The one girl in his grade level that they know literally anything about. Even though she's usually sitting nearby, she acts like she's too cool for the dynamic duo. Yet she was invited on the trip because Ned didn't want her to feel left out.</p><p>The few things they know don't paint a good picture of Michelle. She loves reading, but it means she always has her nose in a book. She led the decathlon team for a few months, but had to drop out because of family issues. She draws beautiful pictures, but the subject matter is questionable at best.</p><p>"MJ, right?"</p><p>"Actually only my friends call me MJ. You can call me Michelle."</p><p>Not a great star, but Peter is determined to make this work. Not only so that his friend can enjoy the weekend with his girlfriend, but because he wants Michelle to feel accepted in their social circle. She's probably struggling to fit in. That would make sense why she's so snappy at him.</p><p>Peter offers to help move her stuff to the new tent as a sign of good will.</p><p>"Why? Because a woman isn't strong enough to move her own stuff?"</p><p>"No," he stutters out. "I just thought you might want some help. I know I don't look like it, but I'm really strong."</p><p>"Thanks, but no thanks Parker. I'll do it myself."</p><p>Peter learns that night why Michelle really hates him through whispers in the forest. It's because he left her best friend standing on the homecoming floor three years ago. He left Liz heartbroken as he went to go save a Stark Industries plan from being stolen by her father. No one knows what really happened.</p><p>But Peter agrees. Though it was the right choice, it was still a shitty thing to do. He's thankful that Liz forgave him so easily, but he can understand why Michelle would be so upset. She was the one dealing with the fall out when the worst happened and it was only followed by her best friend leaving the next day. Peter not only ruined a family; he ruined a lifelong friendship too.</p><p>Peter has to make it up to Michelle. He still has time to fix this.</p><p>-</p><p>Peter pulls the fire starter from his bag. It's an actual camping kit that he got at the hardware store. He thought it would be a good idea at the time. Light this fire like real survivalists instead of falling back on easy technologies like matches and lighters. He was wrong.</p><p>The flint and steel barely spark as they slam them together. No one can seem to get the proper angle for the rocks to work. He's not sure if they're just defective, but he knows all his friends are frustrated with him. Michelle has the worst of the anger as she stomps away to get something out of her bag.</p><p>"You had one job, Peter."</p><p>Harley is right. He barely had to bring anything on the trip, but he somehow managed to mess it up anyway. The night will be freezing. They need some sort of heart if they want to stay sane. He should just drive back into town to get them a proper lighter. Maybe even the person at the park entrance has one they could borrow.</p><p>"Don't they pay you at the Stark Internship?" Michelle quips.</p><p>"They do. Pretty well actually," Harley says in. Peter shoots a glare his way.</p><p>They all watch as Michelle kneels next to the fire and reveals a pair of thickly rimmed glasses in her hand. She angles them under the beam of the sun and starts a little spark in the tinder. Once it sparks, she gently blows on the fire and feeds it a few pieces of dried wood. All the teenagers watch amazed as she works.</p><p>"How did you learn to do that?" Ned asks in amazement.</p><p>Peter doesn't approach the group of students now listening intently. She's probably still angry at him - even more, once he almost left her stranded in the freezing cold woods. Instead, he tosses the broken fire starter into his tend angrily and commits to being a good tent mate.</p><p>-</p><p>By day two Peter is bored out of his mind. His attention disorder demands he finds something to do, but it already feels like he's done everything. It's probably worse because usually, he has Ned to hang out with, but his best friend has spent days sleeping alongside his kind-of maybe-sorta girlfriend.</p><p>He keeps an eye on the fire and gathers wood. Makes breakfast for his friends since he's already up and moving before dawn breaks. He even tries exploring the woods, but he doesn't want to get so far that his friends come looking for him. It isn't worth risking their safety.</p><p>He watches across the camp as Michelle reads a book in the afternoon air. It probably would have been a good idea to bring something to entertain himself. He has his cell phone, but that kind of goes against the camping spirit. He needs something more outdoorsy to do.</p><p>A thought occurs to him. He's Spider-Man. He can climb buildings.</p><p>Not that he can use his full powers around his friends. Surely they would notice and become suspicious, but there are enough smaller trees that a normal strength teenager could climb into if they got the right grip and footings. He should be able to fly under the radar while having a good amount of fun.</p><p>Peter grips his hand to a lower hanging branch and tests the strength by pulling gently, being extra careful to not use the full strength of his powers. It will definitely be enough to hold his frame.</p><p>Next, he jumps from the ground, pushing as hard as he can as he springs up. It gets him most of the way, but he uses his strength to pull himself up the remaining inches. Checking below, he sees that no one notices him. He's probably a bit too casual about all this, but heck, he's having fun.</p><p>He works his way up a few more branches with only his strength. He tries not to use his stickiness to crawl, though it does help him grip when a branch below him shakes.</p><p>"Peter! If you fall, can I have your stuff?"</p><p>"Fuck off Harley!"</p><p>But the shouting brings the attention of the other campers. His other classmates peek their heads out of their tents and are impressed with the large amount of height he's gained in such a short time.</p><p>"Oh yeah. Peter really loves climbing trees," Ned covers for him. "There's just no good trees in the city."</p><p>It's true. The city has some amazing buildings to climb, and there's nothing like swinging through the air with the wind rushing by his face, but it is severely lacking in trees. There are some small twig-like ones in Central Park, but nothing worth climbing. They'd snap under his weight in seconds.</p><p>It becomes a competition. A challenge for him. How far can he climb up as his classmates cheer him on from below? He takes a jump to another branch, one much riskier this time, but holds on tight enough so that he doesn't fall. The branch shakes from his movements. Peter laughs with excitement.</p><p>Until he watches Michelle march off upset, her book held in her hand. He starts climbing back down and when he's low enough, he lets himself fall to the ground. The moment is ruined. At least the crowd is dispersing from the heat that seems to be rising from Michelle. He doesn't have to worry about stopping so suddenly.</p><p>"Hey, Michelle. You okay?"</p><p>"All I wanted to do is read my book in peace. Is that too hard for you Parker? Can't go ten fucking minutes without showboating about how damn amazing you are?"</p><p>Peter shrinks back. That's not what he was doing at all.</p><p>"I'm sorry if I upset you. I can try to quiet down for a bit. Give you some time to read."</p><p>"No. I don't get to do that now. I get to spend the next hour picking leaves and twigs from my hair," she says pulling one out and holding it up angrily as an example. "Because some fucking monkey brained moron didn't consider the consequences of his actions."</p><p>Michelle throws the twig at him and storms off towards their tent. He doesn't try to stop her.</p><p>-</p><p>Peter spends his time trying to keep busy after that. Partly because he wants to contribute to the little tent city his friends have established, but mostly because he's too terrified to go into his tent.</p><p>Michelle spends most of the day cooped up in their tent, which only makes Peter feel even shittier for his previous actions. She had spent hours trying to get her hair clean after his carelessness. He waited to see her during dinner so that he could apologize, but she didn't come to eat with the group.</p><p>It's probably best that he doesn't bother her. She's probably busy reading and he wouldn't want to be inconsiderate again, so he dedicates himself to getting more firewood instead.</p><p>The majority of the forest floor has been picked clean from previous campers, so he wanders into the surrounding area. He then finds a large branch that should be easy enough for him to break into smaller pieces. It only takes him a few minutes to rip them apart. It should be enough to last them until the end of the trip.</p><p>He gathers the large pile of wood in his arms and starts the trek back to the campsite. It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes and it gives the boy a chance to listen to the surrounding wildlife. He even finds a really suspicious mushroom that Harley might enjoy. </p><p>The sounds of his friends dance in his ears the closer he gets. He can hear Ned and Betty laughing near the campfire, likely cuddling in each other's laps and feeding each other marshmallows. Harley sounds like he's trying to climb trees, hopefully nowhere near Michelle's tent. The rest of the campers are hiding in their tents or swimming in the river nearby.</p><p>But he can hear Michelle in their tent. Not that he can see her actions, but her breathing is calm enough that he can only assume she's reading. Maybe he has a chance to patch things up still.</p><p>Peter's plan is to quickly walk by the tent without disturbing Michelle, put the firewood next to the fire, and return with an apology for yesterday. If he looks enough like a guilty animal - and nothing like the showboating asshole she thinks he is - maybe he stands a chance in repairing their relationship for Ned's sake.</p><p>But things don't work out as easy as he hoped. They never do with Parker Luck.</p><p>The second he's near the tent - firewood still piled high in his arms - he trips on his loose shoelaces and falls forward towards the tent. He tries to catch himself with his hands, but his arms are still full of broken trees and he falls right onto Michelle's side of the tent. </p><p>Peter's face scuffs against a sharp piece of the ripped bark, leaving a bleeding cut down the right side of his face. But that's the least of his concerns. His face will heal, but he's terrified that he's hurt Michelle. She could have been easily crushed underneath the weight of the tent and his body.</p><p>"Oh my gosh, Peter. Are you okay?"</p><p>Peter ignores Betty's call. He's been hurt so much worse on patrol. His only priority is finding Michelle as he throws the wood aside and checks for lumps underneath the tent. "You have to help me find Michelle."</p><p>"MJ?" Betty questions. "She went to the bathroom a few minutes ago. She should be back any second."</p><p>Peter sighs a breath of relief. He wipes his face and finds a smear of red, but at least he didn't hurt Michelle. He can't bear the thought of hurting one of his friends. Even if Michelle insists they're not.</p><p>Michelle seems to return just as the commotion is dying down. Most of the blood has already been cleaned from Peter's face and only an angry scratch remains. She didn't see the majority of the damage to his face. All she sees is her half of the tent crushed beneath him.</p><p>"I'm so sorry," Peter apologizes as he watches her approach the tent. "I'm going to fix it. Just give me a few hours and it'll be as good as new."</p><p>"It was just an accident, MJ. He didn't mean it," Betty chimes in.</p><p>"Yeah. At least no one was hurt," Ned replies.</p><p>Michelle doesn't try to argue with the crowd since they're already on Peter's side. She doesn't even know how to feel anymore. Not when he keeps causing her so much trouble. All she knows is that she made a mistake coming out here. She should have spent her week at the library instead.</p><p>-</p><p>Peter yawns and his eyes fight to go back to sleep. They're dreary with rest, which makes sense because the stars are still twinkling above their tent. He's only been asleep for a few hours, but his bladder is currently panging under his boxers, so he knows he can't hide under the warmth of his blanket forever.</p><p>He throws the covers to the side and grabs his sleep clothes from beside him. It's only a ripped t-shirt and old jogging pants since he usually sleeps in only his boxers, but he knows he has to go outside to relieve himself. It might be a little weird if any other people see him in his underwear and he really doesn't feel like explaining it tomorrow. The school locker room is bad enough.</p><p>He quickly makes his way through the tent common area and unzips the entrance, taking the time to be as quiet as possible to not wake Michelle. He even zips the tent back up so that no bugs enter, even though he's nearly squeezing his legs in desperation. He definitely shouldn't have drunk those sodas after dinner.</p><p>Using his boosted senses to navigate the dark woods, he makes his way a bit from the tent. Once he believes he's far enough, he pulls himself out and lets go on the nearest tree with a sigh of relief. About a minute later he begins to work his way back to his tent. The cold bite of the midnight winds are quickly getting to him.</p><p>He tries to enter the tent just as quietly as before, but this time he notices something. Michelle seems to be awake through the thin fabric of the tent walls. There's no lights or anything - she's definitely in a lying position. But there's a chattering of teeth that alerts him to her presence.</p><p>Peter hasn't thought about it much, but the few times he's excited the tent at night, she seemed to be awake. He had assumed she was deep in a good book, but now that he's dwelling on the idea, he can't think of a single time he's heard Michelle sleeping. Not during the night or the day.</p><p>With the tent zipped back up, Peter hesitates at the entrance of Michelle's room. He can't really knock because there are no walls, but he doesn't feel right just entering. He's sure she's wearing clothes, but it would be quite the invasion of her privacy. Something he knows is wrong.</p><p>"Michelle," he asks in a low tone of voice. "Are you cold?"</p><p>"No fucking duh, Parker."</p><p>The words are chattered out through painful lungs. He can barely feel the cold in the safety of the tent, but a mixture of restless sleep and cold nights are getting to Michelle. </p><p>Standing by isn't something Peter can do. Not when he's so programmed to help people in need. Even though she's been kind of a bitch to him all weekend, he knows the right thing is to help her out. It's something he would do for any of his other friends on this trip. Hopefully, she accepts his help.</p><p>Peter moves to his side of the cabin and grabs his blanket. It's the only one he brought, a thick blue comforter that he's had for a few years now. It's not in pristine condition, but it's got a smooth texture and does wonders to keep a person warm. It's usually the only one he needs.</p><p>"Can I come in? I have an extra blanket for you," Peter lies.</p><p>"Alright," Michelle concedes. She's too cold to keep her pride.</p><p>This small room is a lot tidier than Peter's section of the tent. He notices that she hasn't brought nearly as many belongings as him. Only a small backpack of clothes, a few books, and a reusable water bottle. Even her bedding isn't that fancy - an old pillow and a thin blanket for warmth.</p><p>No wonder she's freezing. The air is biting tonight, but all she has to protect her from the cold is an old hotel blanket and a few layers of socks. He shivers just thinking about it. </p><p>While Peter knows he'll suffer without his blanket, he knows she needs the warmth much more right now. He can suck it up for a few nights to help a sort of friend. He's dealt with much colder scenarios - the freezing water of the river comes to mind - and it's the gentlemanly thing to do.</p><p>"Here you go. Hope it helps," Peter offers.</p><p>Michelle watches him suspiciously for a few seconds. Her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes slit in confusion. She knows she's had a short fuse with him all weekend. Mostly because she's exhausted from nights of restless sleep, but also because of stuff going on at home. Why is he being nice to her?</p><p>But Michelle's too cold and tired to question it. She can't afford to be prideful when there are two more nights of this freezing air that threatens to kill her. Her eyes are so tired that they hurt from lack of sleep. She has no fight left, so instead, she relaxes her expression and reaches for the blanket.</p><p>Their hands touch as she grabs the blanket. Peter expects her to pull back in anger, but instead, she leans forward towards the heat of his body. It's the best thing she's felt all night and now that she's so close to his warmth, she doesn't think she could let him go. Not with the way her whole body is trembling.</p><p>They're frozen together in time. Neither of them wanting the moment to end. Not only because of the body heat, but the amazing feeling rushing through them. Like a spark.</p><p>"Can I... Can I sleep next to you tonight?"</p><p>"Of course you can, Michelle."</p><p>"MJ is fine. You can call me MJ."</p><p>Peter lowers himself next to her on the cold ground. There's no air mattress like in his side of the tent and he can feel the rough ground underneath, but the second she tosses the covers over him and cuddles close to his clothed chest, he no longer cares about anything but her. </p><p>He experimentally places his arm around her form. When she doesn't protest, he allows his head to lay on top of hers. He can barely believe how perfectly their bodies fit together.</p><p>"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Michelle whispers.</p><p>"It's okay. I'm sorry I was a dick," Peter replies. He's sorry for everything.</p><p>He stays awake as he holds her. Tries to be as still as possible as he listens to her breathing even out. It isn't long until she's asleep with his body heat so close. Not much later Peter falls asleep too.</p><p>-</p><p>The last few days of the trip pass by quickly. Michelle is a lot less snappy around him, probably from having two great nights of sleep against his chest. </p><p>Because they've spent the last two days sharing stories. Laughing into the late hours of the night as Peter tells corny jokes. Michelle even opens up about her family. They don't treat her well, but she's saving money to move out once high school is over. He encourages the idea when she begins to doubt herself. </p><p>She asks about his plans. Right now he's leaning towards an online engineering degree while starting his training at the Avengers Compound, though he can't tell her that. Instead, he tells her he isn't sure yet. They spend a few hours mulling over possible career options for both of them.</p><p>It's during an afternoon swim where he really begins to notice her. Michelle didn't bring a swimsuit, but she strips down to her underwear - she's not even wearing a bra - and dives into the lake. Peter hesitates to join her, but she promises she won't look as he strips down to his boxers. He's pretty sure she peaks anyway. He doesn't care.</p><p>They splash around the lake. It's much warmer with the sun beating down on the water, but somehow Michelle finds herself close to his chest once again. There's no excuse for it this time, but he's too nervous to say anything with the flame igniting below. Instead, he dodges out of her arms and races back towards the shore before she can feel how excited he's getting. He doesn't want to embarrass her.</p><p>"I think I hear them calling. Probably dinner," he stutters out.</p><p>Michelle bites her lip as she watches him exit the water. She admires the way his wet boxes stick to all the right places and doesn't regret her decision, but knows she'll have to go easier on Peter. He's one of the good ones.</p><p>-</p><p>Peter's late to breakfast the final morning because when the sun rises, Michelle continues to snore against him with the cutest expression. Peter doesn't have the heart to wake her.</p><p>She doesn't even get mad when she wakes up against him. Michelle blinks up at him groggily before leaning her face back against his shirt - probably to hide the blushing on her cheeks - and mumbles thanks. He responds that it's no problem and waits until she decides its time to separate. </p><p>He can't be sure with the crisp morning air, but it seems like Michelle stays there much longer than she needs to. Peter is enjoying their closeness very much, but is it possible she is too? It doesn't feel like the Michelle he's known for the last week, but the more he thinks about it, the more he kind of enjoyed the chase of apologizing to her. Was it their messed up way of flirting the whole time?</p><p>He could kiss her. They're so close that it wouldn't be a problem, but his heart pounds in his chest. Peter's never really tried to kiss someone before. It feels like he should - like this is a romantic moment and she wants to be kissed with the way she holds his shirt - but he's terrified of misreading her intentions. Panic and excitement rush through him until he finds himself moving away from the bed.</p><p>"Are you still able to give me a ride back to the city?"</p><p>"Of course. Just have to pack my stuff and then we can get going."</p><p>"Thanks, Peter. I really appreciate it."</p><p>-</p><p>They take the long way home from the campground. The trip can usually be completed in two hours, but Peter takes the scenic route instead. It expands the drive to a total to four hours including their quick bathroom breaks. Four hours spent on the road with someone who hated him just days ago.</p><p>Peter isn't sure why he takes the longer route when she recommends it. It could be because of the stories she's told to him over the weekend. Michelle has opened up to him about her shitty home life. Mostly tales about how her parents never wanted her because she's only seen as a lapse in their judgment. An overnight mistake brought on by too many glasses of wine. The long drive could be his way of saving her, keeping her from returning to that hellscape of a house as long as possible.</p><p>It's also possible that he doesn't want to leave her. He's been enjoying her company over the last few days. They've been growing a real connection - emotionally and physically - and he's not quite sure that he's ready for this trip to be over. There's a part of him that fears losing her. What if they get home and she no longer wants to speak to him? Like their friendship only belongs on the outskirts of their city?</p><p>There's a part of him that wants to ask her to stay. Maybe even ask her out on a date. They could go grab coffee together. Maybe see a movie. He could even bring her lunch on one of the many days she spends in the library, hiding away from the judgment of her parents.</p><p>But he knows he could never ask. She has enough going on right now. The last thing she should have to worry about is dating a man who caused her so much hardship. He really likes her, but that means he wants the best for her. He's not sure he's that man.</p><p>He's pondering what it would be like to date a girl as magnificent as her when they approach Michelle's house. It's a very nice house, but Peter isn't swayed. He's heard what her parents are like. They couldn't even be bothered to give their daughter a ride home, but it did give Peter a chance to spend more time with her. He's appreciated the long drive home singing cheesy pop songs alongside her.</p><p>"We're here," he announces. He takes in her glory for a few more moments as she naps in the passenger's seat before giving her a gentle nudge. She smiles as she rubs her tired eyes, but then she realizes where she is, and all the happiness drains from her face.</p><p>"Do you need any help bringing your bags inside?"</p><p>Michelle shakes her head. "No. My parents would lose their minds if they saw me with a boy. As tempting as that is, it's probably not the best idea."</p><p>"Well, at least let me grab them from the trunk for you. It's pretty packed. I wouldn't want all the other bags to fall on you. They're pretty heavy."</p><p>Michelle doesn't protest, so he heads towards his trunk and starts carefully unpacking her things. There are only the two backpacks and thin bedding, so it doesn't take too long to unwedge them from the packed trunk. He sets them on the ground in front of her.</p><p>"Thanks for coming, Michelle. I had a lot of fun."</p><p>"Yeah. Me too. You weren't nearly as annoying as usual."</p><p>Something still feels wrong. They're lingering behind the car together. Neither of them wants to go home yet. Not with so many unspoken words between them. But Peter can't make the move. Not after so much over-analyzing and trying to do the right thing. He can't find the words to say what he means. </p><p>So Michelle stops waiting. She takes the reins instead.</p><p>She takes a step close to him even though her heart is pounding nervously in her chest. They're nearly touching now, but still not close enough. Before he can panic, Michelle grips Peter's shirt in her hands and pulls him forward until their lips touch. It's only her at first, but he quickly melts into the kiss as well, placing his arms around her and moving his lips alongside hers.</p><p>When they separate, he's fully flushed and out of breath. Blush dances across his cheeks and there's a widespread smile across his face. He can't believe Michelle just kissed him. But he loves every moment of it. He knows she has to go inside, but he can't wait to see her again.</p><p>"So see you tomorrow I guess?"</p><p>"See you tomorrow, Parker. Try not to miss me too much."</p><p>He already does. He misses her so much it hurts. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was the hardest trope for me to write for Spideychelle Week, so it really isn't my best. It barely follows the trope. But I did have a lot of fun writing it. One more story coming tomorrow &lt;3</p><p>You can also follow me on tumblr too. My username is <a href="https://slothbeans.tumblr.com/">@slothbeans</a></p><p>I mostly just post previews and updates, but I also will be doing my best to answer questions the next few days &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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